Putting a stop to ties

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What should Jeopardy do about ties?

Nothing, silly
84
74%
Have the winners split the winning total, i.e. instead of two people getting $14,000 each, they each only get $7000.
11
10%
Have a tiebreaker question.
15
13%
Give the tie to the person leading going into FJ. If two folks were tied, they both come back.
1
1%
Everyone gets sent home and we start with three new people the next episode.
2
2%
 
Total votes: 113

Austin Powers
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Putting a stop to ties

Post by Austin Powers »

I think the show has too many ties. This is Arthur Chu's fault but let's not dwell on that. I think ties are bad because:

- they're not as dramatic. Since they happen too often now they don't even have novelty.

- playing to tie is frankly un-American. I understand trying to maximize your chances at winning, but I am watching at home, and I want a winner, dammit. There are arguments about how success-maximizing playing for the tie is, but let's not dwell on that, either.

- it means fewer people make the show. As many many people would like to be on the show, I have a problem with a strategy that keeps those people off the show.

- I like having a fresh set of contestants. One champ returning, sure, this is the person with the target on his/her back. Two people? Meh.

Anyway:
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StevenH
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by StevenH »

Austin Powers wrote:it means fewer people make the show. As many many people would like to be on the show, I have a problem with a strategy that keeps those people off the show.
This is the reason why I voted to have a tiebreaker question. As much as I hate for the outcome of the game to be decided on a clue that will likely be a buzzer race (unless it's a tournament game where a winner has to emerge), I think that it's more tragic for not as many people to have the chance to be on the show. A tiebreaker question would also be cool because it gives the leader more reason to wager to cover, instead of being content with a tie.

And I know that I am probably the only person on the board who thinks this, but I wish that the sky's the limit rule had never been implemented. My position on this is for the reason above, and also because I would like to see more contestants have a good shot at winning multiple games instead of having to go up against a buzzsaw, like Ben Stein on Win Ben Stein's Money, who already has more than five games under their belt.

And I am not Sony's accountant, but I also have to wonder if more ties could ever mean that we would have to endure more celebrity games. I don't think that it does, but I am still a little concerned.
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by Vanya »

You forgot the option of pistols at 30 paces.
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This Is Kirk!
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by This Is Kirk! »

I have to say ties don't bother me in the slightest.
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MarkBarrett
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by MarkBarrett »

This Is Kirk! wrote:I have to say ties don't bother me in the slightest.
That was my vote as well. Of course we have had our shot on the show so we are not stuck in the pool.

****************

It's early in the season, so I would do nothing at this point. Let's wait until the season is over and see how many tie games occur. Yes, if there are two ties a week (or even more) then something would have to change. At that point I would go for a different option. The money won by one person carries over and the winner of the next game gets the kitty plus the new winning amount.

In tournament play I get why the one clue tiebreaker is necessary. For regular play I would not like it.

How about the tie breaker be a full category? There is not time at the end of the show to do it, but it could open the new show. [Johnny Gilbert] "This is the Jeopardy! Tiebreaker!

Is the cause of ties really Arthur Chu? Could there be other recent factors that may be influencing wagers?
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StevenH
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by StevenH »

Mark Barrett wrote:Is the cause of ties really Arthur Chu? Could there be other recent factors that may be influencing wagers?
I think it is, though to be fair, one of the ties that happened last week definitely did not happen because of Mr. Chu.
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MDaunt
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by MDaunt »

A solution in search of a problem in search of a solution.
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Volante
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by Volante »

Don't care. Losing your spot to a tie and for no other reason probably has odds similar to catching Ebola in the U.S. for the general public, so I just can't get worked up over it that way.

Ties, IMO, make it a little more interesting. Having a new single challenger beat returning co-champs, for one, is just delightful. :lol:

So we've had three ties...big whoop. Statistical anomaly. They happen.
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lieph82
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by lieph82 »

My response to the poll applies only if the current trend is indeed a trend and not just a blip in the radar.

How would people feel about this situation?

Alice has a crush lead over Bob, bets for the tie, they both get FJ right and tie. The next day, Alice again has a crush lead over Bob, bets for the tie, they both get FJ right and tie. This happens 5 days in a row, and Bob ends up making the TOC.

Unlikely? Of course, but we've seen weeks of really, really easy FJs before.
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by seaborgium »

I don't like across-the-board changes for how ties could be dealt with, because it lumps in the "wager to tie just because it's a dollar less and thus slightly safer" ties with the "that's just how the numbers work out" ties, and I don't want the latter category to be affected if changes are effected.
Austin Powers
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by Austin Powers »

It's a trend. We've also had three or so missed ties this season, where the trailer didn't get FJ right.
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Volante
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by Volante »

lieph82 wrote:My response to the poll applies only if the current trend is indeed a trend and not just a blip in the radar.

How would people feel about this situation?

Alice has a crush lead over Bob, bets for the tie, they both get FJ right and tie. The next day, Alice again has a crush lead over Bob, bets for the tie, they both get FJ right and tie. This happens 5 days in a row, and Bob ends up making the TOC.

Unlikely? Of course, but we've seen weeks of really, really easy FJs before.
And hypothetically, what's keeping three people from tying every single day forever?!

I'm not saying you may be overwaxing the ramp there, but I think by game 3, TPTB would start giving the side eye and nip it in the bud. And if they didn't step in for some reason, ToC appearances are still at the behest of TPTB; winning five games is not a golden ticket.
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by dhkendall »

Austin Powers wrote:I think the show has too many ties. This is Arthur Chu's fault but let's not dwell on that.
Personally, I blame Vermonter.
Austin Powers wrote:
- playing to tie is frankly un-American. I understand trying to maximize your chances at winning, but I am watching at home, and I want a winner, dammit. There are arguments about how success-maximizing playing for the tie is, but let's not dwell on that, either.
This "everybody gets to win" attitude frankly smacks of Communism. I mean, what next, have one of those pinko Obamas read clues for them?
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Volante
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by Volante »

dhkendall wrote:
Austin Powers wrote:
- playing to tie is frankly un-American. I understand trying to maximize your chances at winning, but I am watching at home, and I want a winner, dammit. There are arguments about how success-maximizing playing for the tie is, but let's not dwell on that, either.
This "everybody gets to win" attitude frankly smacks of Communism. I mean, what next, have one of those pinko Obamas read clues for them?
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goforthetie
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by goforthetie »

dhkendall wrote:
Austin Powers wrote:I think the show has too many ties. This is Arthur Chu's fault but let's not dwell on that.
Personally, I blame credit Vermonter.
FTFY.

(However, I'd also like to state for the record that my username predates The Final Wager. ;))
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by countyguy »

mTies make things more interesting. Fewer people on the show means potential for a higher percentage of the contestants to be very high-quality, making the show more enjoyable to boardies and some others, or to have stronger personality in the average contestant. Also, one must know what the ties do to ratings, which, at the end of the day, is what matters most to the show. Maybe I should ask frequent non-boardie viewers who I know about their opinion.
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lieph82
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by lieph82 »

countyguy wrote:mTies make things more interesting. Fewer people on the show means potential for a higher percentage of the contestants to be very high-quality, making the show more enjoyable to boardies and some others, or to have stronger personality in the average contestant. Also, one must know what the ties do to ratings, which, at the end of the day, is what matters most to the show. Maybe I should ask frequent non-boardie viewers who I know about their opinion.
How on earth does this work?
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by countyguy »

lieph82 wrote:
countyguy wrote:mTies make things more interesting. Fewer people on the show means potential for a higher percentage of the contestants to be very high-quality, making the show more enjoyable to boardies and some others, or to have stronger personality in the average contestant. Also, one must know what the ties do to ratings, which, at the end of the day, is what matters most to the show. Maybe I should ask frequent non-boardie viewers who I know about their opinion.
How on earth does this work?
Probably it won't, I agree. Some people have said that the show has been recently going for 35-40 scorers to make games close. I was just pointing out that if that is true (don't really want to say it is), then they could get to the point where the number of contestants needed is low enough that they can do the same with a larger percentage of very high scorers. I still doubt the show cares enough to make a difference, and also there would still be way too many contestants to have games of all Schliemanns, so probably my logic was a little fuzzy.
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by TerrHeel »

I'd like to see them use a tiebreaker question. That would stop leaders from offering a tie, because now they would be opening the door for them to finish in 2nd when they could otherwise clinch a victory. As a sports fan, I hate ties, and having a tiebreaker (on the few occasions we'd ever see that happen) would make for really exciting viewing.
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Re: Putting a stop to ties

Post by countyguy »

I also think that the possibility of the ties makes wagering theory more interesting, though that is not that important.
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